Multiple electric switch



Feb. 4, 1930. E. TRAUB ,745 5 MULTIPLE ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed March 29,1927 gwupntoz Patented Feb. 4, 1930 EMIL TRA'UB, OF NEXVARK, NEW JERSEYMULTIPLE ELECTRIC SVITGH Application filed March 29, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in electric-circuit cont-rollingdevices and more especially to devices of this character particularlyadapted to simultaneously control a plurality of electric-circuits.While the present improvement has a general application in this art, ithas been particularly designed for use with radio receiving outfitscommonly employing a plurality of separate electric-circuits The primaryobject of the present invention is to provide an improved e1ectricswitchfor multiple electric circuits such as are, for instance, employed inradio outfits, whereby all of the circuits will be automatically closedsimultaneously upon the release of a latch which is preferably trippedby any suitable time operated device, although it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited to this use either in its entirety oras to its details of construction.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of pairs ofspaced and specially designed contact-members are fixed upon aninsulating support, being disposed about a common center constitutingthe pivotal axis of a plurality of current-transmitting bridges for thepairs of contact-members. The bridges are yieldingly urged by a springto simultaneously engage both members of each pair of contact members,said bridges in switch-open position being disengaged from both membersof each pair of fixed contacts and adapted to be held in switch-openposition against the action of said spring by a. single latch capable ofb ing readily tripped upon release of the latchlever either manually orpreferably by a time operated device. The engagement between the spacedcontact members and their respective bridges is not only yielding incharacter by virtue of the spring urging-the engagement thereof, butalso by reason of a yielding construction of the contact-membersthemselves, thereby insuring a firm currenttransmitting contact Wheneverthe latch is released.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of the improvedswitch viewed from one side thereof and Fig. 2 is an eleva- Serial No.179,302.

tion of the opposite side of the switch with its cover-plate removed.Fig. ,3 is a topplan view of the device and Fig. 4 is a detailperspective view of a pair of contactmembers and the bridge therefor.

Referring to the drawings, the switch is encased in a frame 1 capable ofbeing secured upon, for instance, a radio receiving outfit case (notshown) by the provision upon said frame of apertured ears, as 2.Suitably fixed within said frame 1 is an insulating supporting plate 3which may be of any material suitable for the purpose. Fixed upon theplate 3, by means of binding posts, as 4, are a plurality ofcontact-members, as 5, each comprising a substantially U-shaped elementof some slightly resilient and electric-current transmitting material.One end of each member 5 is coiled to embrace a binding post at, whileits opposite end 6 (see Fig. 4) is bent at right angles to the plane ofthe legs of the Ushaped member, i. e., to the plane of the plate 3against which both legs of said member are disposed.

Spaced f"0m the members 5 are a plurality of contact-members 7 also ofsubstantial U-shape but each having its legs disposed in a planetransversely of the plane of the legs of members 5. The members 7 areeach fixed upon a binding post 8 on the supporting plate 3 by coilingone end thereof about said post, while the free ends 9 of said members 7are shouldered for a purpose later described, it being understoodhowever that the free ends of the members 7 are capable of slightlyyielding in a plane perpendicular to the supporting plate 3, while thefree ends of the members 5 are capable of slightly yielding in a planeparallel to the plate 3.

The contact-members 5 and 7 are arranged in pairs, whereby asparticularly illustrated in Fig. 2 the binding posts at and 8 of a pairof contact-members may be connected by leads, as 10, with the terminalsof a radio A-battery; another pair of posts 4; and 8 with a radioB-battery by leads, as 11; still another pair with a radio C-battery byleads as 12 and the last pair of posts 4 and 8 by leads, as 13, with anelectric-lamp circuit. In order to facilitate the making of the conn as:

nections when furnishing the switch complete for commercial usage, it ispreferred to connect several of the current leads described to suitablebinding posts upon the frame 1 and to that end the leads 10 are suown asconnected to the posts 14; the leads 11 to the posts 15 and the leads 12to the posts 16, the light circuit being preferably directly connectedwith the posts 4 and 8. Additional posts 17 may however be also providedfor the light circuit and for radio antennae connections as may bepreferred.

The pairs of contact-members 5 and 7 are symmetrically arranged withrespect to a common center constituting the pivotalaxis of a pluralityof current-transmitting bridges, as 18, each adapted in circuit closedposition to firmly engage the free ends of a pair of members 5 and 7, asillustrated particularly in Fig 4: of the drawings. When the bridges 18swing into circuit closing position, the free ends thereof engage theupstanding ends 6 of the members 5 while the inner ends of the bridges18 engage the shouldered portion 9 of the contact-members 7,

said shouldered portions 9 affording a clear ance rearward thereofwhereby the bridges 18 when retracted are entirely out of engagementwiththecontact-member 7 as well as with the member 5. The bridges 18comprise rods of some suitable electric-conductor material, which rodsare fixedly secured in an oscillatory carrier-block 19 of insulatingmaterial sustained by a pivot-bolt 20 upon the supporting plate 3.Secured upon the block 19 is the supporting arm 21 of a latch-lever 21pivotally supported upon said arm 21 and provided with a notch 22adapted to be latched to a keeper 23 secured upon the frame 1. The freeend of the arm 21 may be connected by means of a cord 24 with a suitabletime operated device (not shown).

The operation of latching the arm 21 upon the keeper 23 must be effectedagainst the action of a spring 25, one end of which is secured to thesupporting plate 3 and the other end to the carrier-block 19 at the sideof the center of said block to normally urge the bridges 18 sired torender active the several circuits of a radio receiving outfit at apredetermined time in order to lnsure recelving a scheduled program, 1t1s only necessary to connect the arm 21", latched to the keeper 23 inorder to hold the c rcuits open, With any time operated de vice such asthe Winding stem of an alarmclock. At the appointed time the arm 21 willbe released and all of the circuits will be simultaneously closed,thereby rendering them active in the performance of their functions.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis 1. An electric-switch comprising an insulating support, a pair ofspaced contact-members of an electric-circuit sustained by said support,and a current-transmitting bridge shiftable to simultaneously engageboth of said contact-members, one of said contactmembers being disposedto yield in the direction of shifting movement of the bridge-member andthe other contact-member to yield in a direction transverse thereto.

2. An electric-switch comprising an insulating support, a plurality ofpairs of spaced contact-members of a plurality of electriccircuitssustained upon said support, an electric-current transmitting bridge foreach pair of contact-members adapted to simultaneously engage anddisengage both contactmembers of each pair thereof, a spring yieldinglyurging the several bridge members and their respective pairs ofcontact-members into current-transmitting engagement, one of thecontact-members of each pair being adapted to yield in the direction ofengagement of a bridge therewith, and means for latching thecontact-members and bridges in switch-open position. 7

3. An electric-switch comprising an insulating support, a plurality ofspaced pairs of contact-members of a plurality of electric-circuitsfixed upon said support about a common center, the contact-members ofeach pair be ing disposed to yield in transverse directions, anelectric-current transmitting bridge for each pair of contact-memberspivotally sus tained upon said support to engage and disengage both ofthe contact-members of a pair, a spring yieldingly urging said bridgesabout their pivotal support in one direction, and a latch forrestraining any movement of said bridges under the action of saidspring.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EMIL TRAUB.

